Sermon Central
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Our Life In Christ Series
Contributed by Kevin L. Jones on Oct 5, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: A sermon examining our new life in Christ and the joys of being adopted into the household of God.
Our Life In Christ
When this life is over, it will not matter how many possessions you have, how new your car is or how large your house is. It will not matter what your bank account, 401k or stock portfolios look like. Your social standing will not matter. Your career achievements will not matter. What will matter is whether or not you are “in Christ”. Being “in Christ” speaks to the fact that we have been born into the family of God by faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Paul refers to this in Galatians 3:26, there he says “for you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
- I want to take some time examine some of the amazing benefits for those who are “in Christ.” In the process, we will consider “Our Life In Christ”. In this passage, Paul reveals that: Because Of Christ, Our Past Is Erased, Because Of Christ, The Present Is Exciting, and Because Of Christ, Our Future Is Enticing
In this life, we will face many troubles and trials. Though we belong to God, we are not exempt from difficulty. However, we can rejoice in the fact that the troubles that we face are temporary.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
As Christians we have a glorious future, but we don’t have to wait until Heaven to enjoy an amazing life in Christ. From the moment you put your faith in Jesus Christ there are innumerable privileges that you are able to enjoy. In verses 26-27 we see that:
I. BECAUSE OF CHRIST OUR PAST IS ERASED
v26 for through faith you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus. 27 For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.
Verse 11 of this chapter states that we are “justified by faith in Christ”. Now Paul goes on to say that because we are “in Christ” we are the “Children of God”. There are several scriptures that echo the truth that we find in Galatians 3:26:
Romans 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13 who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.
Those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ are God’s children. Paul refers to those who have been “baptized into Christ”. This speaks to the fact that the Christian is “immersed” or placed into Christ. The picture here is someone being buried in the watery grave and rising to a new life in Jesus Christ. Back in chapter 2:20, Paul says “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”. Like Paul, it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us.
In verse 27 we see the phrase “put on Christ”. Through faith in His finished work, we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Some commentators believe that Paul had in mind the Toga Virillis which in ancient Rome was the toga assumed by a youth at the age of 14 as a symbol of manhood and citizenship.
Before our conversion, we were clothed in sin. Now that we have been redeemed, Christ has cleansed our sin and clothed us in His righteousness. Through Jesus Christ our sins have been cleansed and our past been erased. The word “pardon” is defined as “the forgiveness of a crime and the cancellation of the relevant penalty”. That is exactly what Jesus has done for us. No matter what you have done, your sins have been forgiven and your sin debt has been paid in full.
If you are in Christ, you can rest in the fact that your past has been erased. There are some things from our past that we all regret. Though we cannot change these things, as Christians we can rest assured that they are under the blood of Jesus.
